Magnification for scope on 22LR rifle

Grauh, I believe you. However I also think it was a fluke. As I said I have an open invite for $100 to anyone who can shoot a fly sticker w/ Sub 12x and 3 shots or less.
 
Not a fluke, I'm shooting a custom built benchrest 22 with a fixed 45 power scope and match ammo. There are another 4 or 5 shooters that I shoot with who could do this as well.
 
22forever said:
Not a fluke, I'm shooting a custom built benchrest 22 with a fixed 45 power scope and match ammo. There are another 4 or 5 shooters that I shoot with who could do this as well.
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But of course! A custom BR rig! That would explain the on demand accuracy. On a related note, what are the three shots outside the X ring at about 7 o'clock? ;)
22forever said:
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Was sighting in dialing the shots into the Xring. The target has 4 bulls, one is for sighting and the other three are shot for score. We shoot 4 targets, 5 shots per bull. Perfect scrore is 600 60X, many scores in the 590's with high X counts. We shoot these matches at Mission Rod & Gun and Ridgedale monthly, we are always open to more shooters joining.
 
CanuckShooter said:
What power scopes do most use on their rimfire rifles lately? I'm looking to scope a few CZ 452's, but it's been a while since I owned a scoped 22LR so I can't really recall what's too little or too much as far as magnification goes.

The rifles will only be used at the range, not for hunting, and I'm looking to keep costs around a few hundred dollars per scope. I do recall owning Banners and Muellers in the past that went up to 18x, or 24x, but even with a 50mm bell, it got really dark, and a bit blurry. The CZ 452's are fairly accurate rifles, so I don't really want them to be limited by a weak scope.

I guess what I mean to ask is... after what scope magnification power do the benefits plateau for a rimfire rifle within a couple hundred yards?

I was looking at a a few that max out at 15x. Would that be enough if I want to plink out to 100yds+? Or is that pushing it?

Thanks!
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When my CZ452 Varmint 22wmr arrives, I think I'll be mounting my Bushnell Elite 6500 2.5-16x42. Should work great :)
 
Lol at 45x power.
Still $100 up for grabs. Drop your power sub 12x and spot/shoot a fly at 100yds.
I have a btvs that could do it 30/70 w/ a Sightron 10-50x on high.
Love how you added your scope power after you shot your mouth off
 
CanuckShooter said:
What power scopes do most use on their rimfire rifles lately? I'm looking to scope a few CZ 452's, but it's been a while since I owned a scoped 22LR so I can't really recall what's too little or too much as far as magnification goes.

The rifles will only be used at the range, not for hunting, and I'm looking to keep costs around a few hundred dollars per scope. I do recall owning Banners and Muellers in the past that went up to 18x, or 24x, but even with a 50mm bell, it got really dark, and a bit blurry. The CZ 452's are fairly accurate rifles, so I don't really want them to be limited by a weak scope.

I guess what I mean to ask is... after what scope magnification power do the benefits plateau for a rimfire rifle within a couple hundred yards?

I was looking at a a few that max out at 15x. Would that be enough if I want to plink out to 100yds+? Or is that pushing it?

Thanks!
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I'm having a bad morning so in my irritated state....I want to jump in on the fly shooting/100 yard challenge part of this thread...but I'll stay on track (for now) with the OP's question. :)

First-off...I just scoped a new 452 Varmint (.22) and with my intention of it being a western gopher-shooter....I didn't feel I needed more than 12x simply because of what I consider the 22's effective/accurate range. What range is that? For me...a 22lr is a (max) 75 yard gun for hunting for three reasons;

1. Trajectory~I want the ability to shoot a "target" 20 yards away...or 75 yards away (fast) without having to really contemplate the issue of bullet drop. 22lr is fairly predictable/relatively flat shooting out to 75 yards.
2. Wind drift~personal experience has shown me it takes allot of wind to blow a .22 bullet off course out to 50-75 yards...and much less at targets @ 100 yards. This is entirely subjective...maybe I'm just a crappy shot. :)
3. Energy/impact~in a hunting situation with 22...I consider it a "the more the better" situation. Shot placement is key of course, so more/less doesn't matter if you can't hit your mark reliably.

Now...I am talking gophers of course so if you think I'm passing on 100+ yard shots because I don't think I shoot as well past 75~that's simply not the case. I'm practicing weekly to do just that. :) I want perfect shots, but if you're in a field polluted with them... The scope I've chosen is this one; http://info.sightron.com/Riflescopes/SI-Hunter-Series/SIH-TAC412X40AOHHR/ for a host of reasons, but I'm practicing with the elevation knob (and reticle) to know where I need to be in longer-range scenarios. Having just a pile of fun with it. OK...rambling now...

So the second last line of your thread starter includes the words; "rimfire rifle within a couple hundred yards?"...the last line "I want to plink out to 100yards". You also mention target shooting. Basically, I think 100 yards is about the ceiling before the limitations of 22 start becoming an issue. Plinking/bowling-over pop cans...whataver~all good. See what you can do, and have fun. Before anyone posts links to someone hitting a steel gong @ 500 yards with their 22~I can hit a 8x8 pc. of plywood with my slingshot from nearly 200 yards away reliably if I aim high enough. Not sure it really proves anything in the context of this discussion. :) Anyhow, I use this rule of thumb when choosing a scope for rimfires~I want to see bullet holes at 100 yards. Clearly, glass quality plays into this...but for a 17HMR, my eyes can't see a .17 hole unless the scope is at least 15x power. For 22lr~12x power. Overly simple? Maybe, but think about it....I seldom need a 22 to shoot further than 100 yards (=12x) and I often want my 17HMR to shoot well OVER 100 yards (=18x in my case) so it's not simply a matter of holes on paper @ 100 yards. If target shooting at a controlled/constant distance off a bench was your one and only goal, I'd be urging you to get a fixed-power, high-magnification (18x+) scope. If it was for rabbit hunting out to 75 yards or so...I'd say the best-quality, (7-9x upper end) scope you could afford. Maybe a nice Leupold 3-7x that has a 50 yards parallax setting. You don't want/need higher magnification in that scenario. However, you sound a bit like me..probably like most rimfire shooters. You want it to do a little of everything fairly well. Probably why allot of us end-up with a variable power, AO scopes that top-out in the 9x-15x range. That describes all but 1 of the scopes my 22 rifles wear.

Hope this collection of scattered thoughts helps in some way!
 
I use a Bushnell AR model 2-7x scope. It has the BDC reticle calibrated for .22LR

I sighted at 50 yrds. Then used the lower two calibrated points for 75 and 100 yards.

I have it mounted on my heavy barrel Mossberg 44US old school target gun *with a re-lined barrel*

I spent all day on the 100 yard range, with pretty high side berms in a narrow alley with little winds, and made 3 inch groups at 100 yards all day long with crummy Remington thunderbolts.. on the 7x setting off a bi-pod

works for me and the scope was around $200

I had some monster 24x scope on it and it was huge and heavy.. even this scope is a little bulky if you want a really old school minimalist field gun... But I am a bench guy at the range mostly :)
 
I think a 6-24 is a great combination on a 22lr bolt gun. Maybe too heavy for packing around but when you want to target shoot the extra power is nice. I used to think 12x was plenty for a hunting scope but now with so many rules on # of points it's great to have more magnification. I've been running a 6-24 x42 sightron on my 452 Varmint all year, I swapped it to my 455 varmint and am going to put on a bushnell elite 4-16x40 AO that I got a good deal on back on my 452 Varmint. My savage tr wears a cheapy 8-32 mueller target scope and so far it's been pretty good bang for your buck, bought off the EE for $225. I think you have to set a budget and buy what you can afford. Definitely more magnification helps but when you get up above 24x you start getting miraging on those hot day's.
 
savagecanuck said:
I think a 6-24 is a great combination on a 22lr bolt gun. Maybe too heavy for packing around but when you want to target shoot the extra power is nice. I used to think 12x was plenty for a hunting scope but now with so many rules on # of points it's great to have more magnification. I've been running a 6-24 x42 sightron on my 452 Varmint all year, I swapped it to my 455 varmint and am going to put on a bushnell elite 4-16x40 AO that I got a good deal on back on my 452 Varmint. My savage tr wears a cheapy 8-32 mueller target scope and so far it's been pretty good bang for your buck, bought off the EE for $225. I think you have to set a budget and buy what you can afford. Definitely more magnification helps but when you get up above 24x you start getting miraging on those hot day's.
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Don't get me wrong I LOVE the high magnification... but unless you are shooting from a very solid rest and comfortable position the high power loses its appeal. It is also such a long heavy and high mounted rig it feels like it doubles the size and weight of the rifle..

I would be into something like a 4-12x with a 32mm objective and lowest mount possible, as a middle of the road compromise perhaps :)
 
A good compromise scope is the Leupold VX-2 6-18 40mm AO... I have one on a 77/22 and it is really good glass.
 
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